Distinguished Gentleman’s ride brings brothers together for Movember

A NEW breed of bikie has rolled into town; a dapper man, who is not afraid to speak about his feelings.

The Melbourne leg of the international Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride, saw almost 1000 riders on vintage motorbikes leave the Royal Exhibition Building on Sunday.

There were more monocles than moles, with silk shirts, meticulously trained facial hair and cravats replacing the leathers and club patches.

More than 5000 Australian riders took part, and almost 73,000 globally, raising money for prostate cancer research through the Movember Foundation.

Melbourne is fourth on the global fundraiser leaderboard, bringing in $115,000 so far.

Motorbike riding has long been a way for brothers Scott and Mark Brown to bond, clear their heads and find a safe space to talk.

Scott, 36, received treatment when he suffered from burnout, depression and anxiety in his late 20s.

While his older brother was on the bike, Scott said he took part as the support crew to support a cause that was aiming to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health.

“I don’t know whether it’s a male or macho thing but when you have an issue you push it down, and you bury it for another day,” he said.

“Having that OK from others to talk about how you’re feeling, and how things are impacting you, it normalises it to a degree. It makes you feel like when you have down days, it’s not who you are; it’s just something you’re going through at the time.

“Having someone you can trust and share experiences with, it’s a catalyst for other conversations.”